Local scholars criticize regulation banning long beards

Local Islamic scholars have criticized the new Maldives Immigration regulation banning its employees from wearing their beards long and their pants ankle-length.

The controversial change to Immigration uniform regulation makes it compulsory for its male employees to keep their beards no longer than two centimeters and their hair cut short. It also bans them from wearing their pants ankle-length.

Sheikh Adam Shameem has criticized Maldives Immigration after they sent notice to the employees who refused to follow the new uniform regulation.

He wrote of his Facebook page that the new regulation violated God’s law.

“It is not right to force the people not to follow the religion and terminate them from jobs they have worked in for ages. These things are unjust in the eyes of Allah for sure,” wrote Sheikh Shameem.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Ahmed Sameer pointed that Maldives was an Islamic nation, “not France or America,” and that Islamic principles should be followed in the country.

Sheikh Sameer said that Prophet’s scriptures called for men to wear their beards long and their pants no longer than ankle-length. He said that it was undisputed and therefore a must for all Muslim men to follow.

He said that the new Immigration uniform regulation was therefore a violation of principles of Islam.

“It says in the scriptures that any part of the pants which falls below the ankle belongs in Hell.

Meaning that, it will receive the God’s punishment. Such an order cannot be issued, even under Maldivian law. Because it says in the Constitution that no law can be made in violation of Islam,” said Sheikh Sameer.

Article 20 (b) of Maldivian Constitution:

• The following cannot be considered sufficient reasons to conclude deviation from an employee’s disciplinary standard or sufficient reason to terminate an employee from his/her post.

1. Race, color, nationality, social status, religion, political belief, political party membership, sex, marital status, family responsibility, a disability

In face of criticism over Immigration’s decision to terminate employees who do not follow the new regulation, the organization said that it was a national security agency legally obligated to maintain safety and security of the Maldivian border. And that its employees therefore needed to follow the code of conduct and uniform standards, as well as other and all of its rules and regulations.

Immigration said that those who did not want to follow the new uniform regulation had the option of transferring to another position, but that the organization cannot guarantee the same salary and allowance they received in their original post.

The Immigration employees who refused to follow the new regulation have been given notice, and will be terminated from their posts on October 1.